A leaky heart valve might go unnoticed. Or it could cause health problems that could be either minor or serious. How serious a leaky heart valve is depends on how much it interferes with normal blood flow through the heart. Treatments include medicines, surgical repair, or surgical replacement of the leaky valve. Observation over time for changes is the most common approach to a leaky heart valve.

What Is a Leaky Heart Valve?

The valves consist of flaps that open to let blood flow in one direction as it moves through the chambers of the heart. Then the valves close to keep blood from flowing backwards into the chamber it just left. Except the mitral valve, each valve typically has three flaps. The mitral valve has two flaps.

Any of the four valves can become leaky. This means that just after the heart squeezes and pumps blood forward, some blood will leak backward through the valve. Leaking through the valve is also called valve regurgitation.

How Is a Leaky Heart Valve Diagnosed?

A doctor usually diagnoses a leaky heart valve by:

Listening to the heart with a stethoscope for abnormal sounds such as a heart murmur